ANN FLAHERTY STOPPED counting the number of blood transfusions her son, William, had after they reached about 75. It’s the same with surgeries.
“We lost count after the 20th,” Ann said.
In the coming months he’ll need another operation, one to rebuild the left side of his jaw. They’re not sure exactly why the bone has crumbled away; it could be the chemotherapy he has had. But the operation will see them take part of his fibula and mold it in. It’ll all but end his skiing career.
Before that, though, comes his Winter Olympics debut at Beijing 2022, representing Puerto Rico in the men’s alpine giant slalom Sunday. Then on Feb. 16, he’ll give the slalom a go. Ann will be there for both events, watching her 17-year-old son come flying down the hill, zigzagging through the flags.
“Our life is like a series of jigsaw pieces, some moments of unbelievable tragedy, but also pride and hope,” Ann said.
As he competes, somewhere in her mind will be the memory of 3-year-old William, all rigged up to drips, blood transfusions and packed full of a cocktail of steroids and chemotherapy. Back then in early 2008, when she and her husband, Dennis, asked the hospital staff some important questions.
“How ill is he out of 10?” they asked. “One, he’s healthy and great, and 10, he’s dead. Where is he?’
“And they gave us a 9.5,” Ann said.
The room went silent.
“My husband and I just sat back in our chairs, took a deep breath,” she said. “And we looked around the room. And we said, ‘OK, what’s the plan? How do we save him?’ “
THE FLAHERTY FAMILY has been to the Olympics before. Four years ago it was Charles, William’s older brother, who represented Puerto Rico in the men’s giant slalom at PyeongChang 2018. William was there to watch, idolizing his older brother as he completed both runs to finish 73rd on a brutal, windy day when 30 other skiers crashed out.
The two brothers share an incredible bond. Not only have they both been flag bearers for Puerto Rico in the Winter Olympics,…
Source : espn
